Security, particularly at major airports has become a significant concern. No printable identification is currently available to positively identify a passenger with high reliability. No means is currently available to transmit such information securely and to associate that information with user specific permissions
All passengers entering the USA have been required to bring a Machine Readable Travel Document (MTRD), i.e. a machine-readable passport since October 2003. Starting October 2004, the passport is required to contain biometric data that uniquely identifies its bearer. This turns the passport into a “smart” passport, which comprises a contactless chip that stores the personal biometric information as digital information. The chip is accessed contactlessly by a reader that retrieves the biometric information and compares it with information stored in a database, to verify the identity of the passport bearer. The International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO) is setting the standard to be followed by all such smart passport issuers.
Smart documents are known in the art. Smart cards have been used to store personal information and even biometric information about their owners to facilitate electronic transactions. The information is stored on embedded chips, see for example U.S. Pat. No. 6,219,439, the content of which is incorporated herein by reference, U.S. Pat. No. 6,219,439 further describes a identifying characteristic authentication system using a smart card having stored physiological data of a user on a chip disposed therein, and a fingerprint scan (or retina scan, voice identification, saliva or other identifying characteristic data) for comparison against the stored data. The system is self-contained so that the comparison of the identifying characteristic data with the data stored on the chip is done immediately on board the reader without relying upon communications to or from an external source in order to authenticate the user. This arrangement also prevents communication with external sources prior to user authentication being confirmed, so as to prevent user data from being stolen or corrupted.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,101,477 describes a smart card for travel-related use, such as for airline, hotel, rental car, and payment-related applications. Memory space and security features within specific applications provide partnering organizations (e.g., airlines, hotel chains, and rental car agencies) the ability to construct custom and secure file structures. U.S. Pat. No. 5,291,560 describes a personal identification system based on iris analysis. U.S. Pat. No. 5,363,453 describes a personal identification system based on biometric fingerprint data. However, there is no encryption of the biometric information involved.
EP 0019191B1 discloses a paper of value (e.g. an ID) with an integrated circuit in which a checkable coding is written, the communication with the integrated circuit preferably being effected contactlessly via antennas. The integrated circuit is set in the gap of an at least partly metalized carrier foil. This foil is then laminated between two paper webs. Since the carrier foil is only laminated in between the two paper webs, however, there is the danger that the layers can be separated from each other relatively easily so that the plastic inlay provided with the chip can be used for possible forgeries. Further, this security element is a strictly machine-checkable security element that can only be checked by means of special detectors.
U.S. patent application Ser. No. 20030164611 by Schneider discloses a security paper for producing documents of value, such as bank notes, certificates, etc., with at least one multilayer security element. The security element is disposed at least partly on the surface of the security paper and has at least one visually checkable optical effect and at least one integrated circuit. Other recent U.S. patent applications relevant to the subject of the present invention include applications Ser. Nos. 20040081332, 20030117262, 20030116630, 20030099379, 20030093187 and 20020143588.
Another problem with existing smart or “radio operated” cards that include a Radio Frequency ID or RFID chip, is referred to as skimming, snooping or “stolen identity”. Because such contactless devices can be read at a distance with a suitable transmitter and receiver, it is possible to surreptitiously obtain information from the card while it remains in the cardholder's possession. This may happen even if the card is in a purse or pocket. Similar stolen identity problems are likely to be encountered in the use of smart passports. Existing systems for preventing theft of information by unauthorized remote reading of an RFID chip in smart cards include various disabling mechanisms that prevent contactless reading of the card unless the mechanism enables signal transmission. Exemplary mechanisms are described in U.S. patent application Ser. No. 10/334,572 filed Dec. 31, 2002 and U.S patent application Ser. No. 10/646,597 filed Aug. 23, 2003, both by Edwin J. Selker. These mechanisms include switches for connecting and disconnecting the antenna from the chip.
All prior art solutions deal with only partial aspects of the problem. All known solutions require basically a new product, fabricated with processes and steps materially different from existing processes and steps used in present day regular (non-smart) passports. Since these processes and steps differ from each other, there is no “standardized” manufacturing of a smart passport. No prior art solution is known to be a full solution that allows a regular passport to be transformed into a smart passport without requiring major production system changes and/or major fabrication step changes. Therefore, it would be advantageous to provide a smart passport that will not require major overhaul of existing methods and systems, yet fulfill its total security and forgery/tamper-proof functions. It would be further advantageous to find a “generic” solution that can incorporate various chips and operating systems (OSs) into the smart passport, which can then be issued by all authorized issuers that use such different chips and OSs.